Scheduled Print Job Management via Cloud Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
In shared printing environments, it is difficult to maintain confidentiality of printed electronic documents and ensure successful scheduled printing, as users may accidentally remove or fail to retrieve their documents, and there are challenges with resource availability and accessibility of scheduled print jobs.
Innovation Solution
A printing device equipped with a network control service, local storage, and a job scheduler that receives scheduled print jobs, stores them, and executes them at designated times, sending success messages, while allowing users to manage and modify print schedules through a web interface and notification module for status updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If print jobs are stored in shared printing devices for scheduled printing, then printing flexibility and automation are improved, but document confidentiality and security deteriorate due to unauthorized access and accidental removal by other users
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cloud storage as an intermediary between the user's computer and the shared printing device. Print jobs are uploaded to cloud storage services (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox) rather than being stored locally on the printing device. This mediator allows scheduled printing automation while maintaining security, as the cloud service handles secure storage and the printing device only retrieves jobs when scheduled, preventing unauthorized access by other users.
2Ease of operation
If print jobs are stored locally on the printing device, then accessibility and ease of retrieval are improved, but resource availability and management flexibility deteriorate due to limited local storage capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the storage system universal by supporting multiple cloud storage services (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox) and allowing users to select different storage providers. This multi-functionality approach enables the system to handle various storage needs and preferences while maintaining ease of job retrieval through centralized cloud access, overcoming the limitations of fixed local storage capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from local storage (one-dimensional, limited capacity) to cloud storage (adding a new dimension of virtually unlimited remote storage). By moving storage resources to the cloud, the system gains access to much larger storage capacities and better resource management flexibility while maintaining ease of retrieval through networked access to the cloud storage services.
3Ease of operation
If users can access and manage print jobs on shared printing devices, then ease of operation is improved, but document security and confidentiality worsen due to increased exposure to unauthorized users
Solution Approach 1:
The cloud storage service acts as a secure intermediary that handles user authentication and job management. Users can control and manage their print jobs through the cloud service interface, which maintains security through centralized authentication. The printing device itself does not store user credentials or allow direct user access, eliminating the security risk of unauthorized access while preserving user control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and apparatus for printing a scheduled print job by a printing device connected to a client device over a network. The method includes transmitting, by the client device, a request to print the scheduled print job to the printing device. The scheduled print job include print data and schedule data corresponding to a scheduled time the print data is to be printed. The printing device obtains the print job from cloud storage or from local storage depending on a storage selection indicator, and executes the scheduled print job at the scheduled time. A determination is made as to whether the scheduled print job was printed successfully at the scheduled time. Further, a message indicating whether the scheduled print job was printed successfully, based on the determination, is sent to a predetermined device.